Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-08-18
THE GREAT SOUTHWEST.
The Rich Region to the Southwest Of
Fort Worth that Lies Ripe for the
Entrance of Railroads.
Tom Green, Llano, McCuiloch, San Saba,
Mcnerd and Mason Counties-Their
Area, Productions, Water, Etc.
san Angelo Record.
TOM GREEN.

Tom Green county, at present, extends
from the Colorado on the east to the
Pecos On the west, and from New Mexico
and counties Immediately east of it to
Crockett county on the sout5. II con-
teins abou. -, 600 square miles, out OF
which area four uLorgauized counties
have been cut of by the last Legislature,
reducing the area 500 square miles.
This vast area, in addition 10 the streams
on It's eastern and western boundaries, +
wall watered by North C0ncao, with
Sterling, Lacey, Mulberry, Wild Horse,
Willow, Grape and Beid Eagle creeks Is
It's tributaries; ny Middle ConCho, with
East and Yves. Rocky Live Olk
kioWa, Tepee, Dove, L;pan and
Spring creeks IS i!s tributaries
finally, South Concho, with BQrks
creek and Pecan as its tributaries. These
three ConchO rivers unite Just about one
quarter mile below S ID Antonio, and after
this junction they form Main COnchC, re
ceiving as tributaries Red creek, Dry
creek, Valentine! Crows Nest and VIII
low creek OIL the north, and Lipan and
Kic6apoo on the south. The greater pOr
ton OF these streams continued rlnnins
even during the extremely dry season of
1856. The waters of North COnclO, Dove
creek, Spring creek, South Coz Cho, Pc
can and Lipan are al used for irrigating
about 100 900 acres Of land. This area is
continually being increased, and ct pres
ent severa! large dams and irrigatin9
canals are in contemplation. OF drv
lands there are at present only about 5000
acres in cultivation.
The rainfall is usually sufficient for
raising good crops of grain and corn,
1856 is or course excepted. Up to 1884
we had the Government Signal Service
officer here, VINO kept 8n accurate
account Of til rainfall, frem which it ap-
! ears taat from 1871 10 1884 we did rot
have single month that was absolutely
Without rain. We qQote from report
published by the Dallas News Of February
,. 1887. This YVES from report Of !. NJ.
Cline to the Weather Bureau Of the
United States. tie states that the annual
average for q period Of nine years and
eight months was % 20 inches. During
this period, the average for January was
l % inches, February I.07 inches, March
l &C inches, April , Is inches, Nay 70
inches, June 2.07 inches, July $40 inches,
August 10 inches, September 4.lG
inches, October % inches, November
LIP inches, December o. inches. From
this report it appears that the create ST
rainfall is during the months in which il
IS mostly needed by the farmer.
There IS no doubt but that IN short
time the magnificent prairies lying adja
cent to San Angelo, will be utilized in ire
production Of wheat, corn and hay. That
this is believed by cur citizens, is evil
derced by the fact that during 1885 the
people OF San Angtl 10 invested $50, 900 il
the Touring mill, that is now complete
OF these lands, within g radius of say
twenty miles OF San Angelo, there are not
less than 100000 acres of fine tillablt
lands. The L'pan prairie, lying in S
southeastern direction and commencing
about two and half miles from Sal
Angelo, contains about 100, 900 sores O.
magnificent land. All the streams above
mentioned have magnificent valleys, wei
adapted to support large population
The increase of taxable values is perh1p!
best adapted TO give some idea eff tht
marvelous increase of resources and de
velOpment Of this county. Taxable value
OF Tom Green county, for years 1877 t
1856, as taken from assessment rolls: